When Nella Daren was on the Enterprise - missing chapter
by Nordique1
Summary: An side chapter to a story I wrote a while back. Beverly and Jean-Luc have to learn how to re-negotiate their friendship now that he is in a relationship with Nella.


The Yukon Territory - 2349

Jean-Luc put his paddle in water and pushed with his shoulders and the small canoe glided silently on the calm water. He looked at the scenery around him and had to admit that no matter where he travelled; there was something about one's own home planet that could never be surpassed. The scenery was magnificent. Canoeing down the Nahanni river had not been his first choice for a holiday, but Walker and Jack had been merciless in their campaign to enlist him.

"I'll feel like a third wheel without you." Walker had complained.

"We need you to steer us home Johnny." Jack had pleaded.

He had been successful in resisting them until Beverly had quietly asked him to come – had tilted her said on the side, turned her eyes to him and gently spoke two simple words: "Please come."

Now a week into the trip, most of the fears he had imagined before their departure had not materialized. Sharing a tent with Walker was not as bad as he'd thought, and more importantly, Jack and Beverly had exercised discipline in their nighttime activities; either not indulging, or being quiet about it. Most certainly the latter, before the canoe trip the couple had been separated for several months. He certainly knew that if he were Jack…..Jean-Luc shook his head. He had to stop thinking like that. Beverly was Jack's wife and he wasn't Jack.

As he continued to paddle he looked at the back of his boat partner. This morning, without warning Beverly had dropped her day pack in Jean-Luc and Walker's canoe and shooed Walker away saying only:

"I'm paddling with Jean-Luc today."

Walker had looked at Jean-Luc for guidance. Picard's only answer had been a simple Gallic shrug of his shoulder. It had only taken Beverly and him a few short minutes to figure out their rhythm and they had been paddling in companionable silence since then

Jack and Walker, in front of them, went around a bend in the river at the same time as Jean-Luc noticed the river current picking up. He quickly looked at his old fashioned paper map. Jack had insisted no technology allowed - only relenting to allow Beverly her medkit. The map showed smooth water after the bend, no rapids or waterfalls. Yet the increased river flow and the small rumbling he was starting to hear made him think perhaps the map was wrong. He was about to say something when Beverly beat him to it.

"I think I hear something around that bend Jean-Luc."

Jean-Luc was already steering them towards the bank but all of a sudden the current increased and soon they were both fighting to stay afloat. They managed to make it to shore. He was still securing the canoe when Beverly spoke up panic in her voice.

"Jean-Luc. Oh my God! Look! Jack! Walker!"

They both looked as Jack and Walker's boat capsized sending both men in the water. Beverly started to push their canoe back when Jean-Luc stopped her.

"There's no point going back in the water here Beverly. Same thing will happen to us. Let's try and get them from over there."

Jean-Luc pointed to a sharp ridge jutting out in the river. They both ran to it only to see Walker swimming back to the capsized canoe. Panic set into Jean-Luc as Jack was nowhere to be seen. Beverly spotted him first. "Over there."

She started to run into the water only to be stopped by Jean-Luc: "I'll get him Beverly. You go help Walker."

He quickly took out his boots and outer layers and jumped in the water. As he swam towards Jack, he failed to notice a sharp rock before it cut him on the side of his rib cage. It slowed him down only for a moment before starting to swim again. Picard finally reached Jack and noticing his arm was at an odd angle put one arm around Jack and used the one other to swim back to shore. Walker and Beverly helped drag Jack back out of the water.

Even though it was summer, the water was cool and all four of them were already shivering.

"I'll start a fire." Said Jean-Luc.

Beverly stopped him, lifted his left arm and put her fingers on his side: "Wait Jean-Luc. You're cut here."

He looked down. In his rush to save Jack, he had forgotten about the cut. It was about 5cm long and deep.

"It's not too bad. You take care of Jack first."

She looked like she was about to argue the point for a moment, but silently nodded and walked over to Jack who was holding a clearly dislocated shoulder. She bent down in front of him.

"Sorry Jack. My medkit was in your boat and it's one of the items that got lost. So no pain killer, I'm afraid. I can set it, but it will hurt."

Jack smiled and quickly gave her a kiss: "I have total confidence in you Dr. Crusher." The pride in his young wife's accomplishment obvious in his voice. She quickly kissed him back and without giving him any warnings reset it with a loud click.

Jack gave out a loud yelp: "You were not kidding about it hurting love." A gleam came to his eyes. "Maybe you can kiss it better later."

Beverly, with eyes still holding some of the fear she had felt when she'd seen him the water, bent down: "I can kiss you now."

She needed the closeness. She had feared for his life for a few moments. Their kiss lingered for several moments before Beverly pulled away with a long sigh. She hugged him before they both walked over to Jean-Luc and Walker trying to dry out beside Walker's newly lit fire.

"Here Jack, warm yourself while I look after Jean-Luc."

Beverly crouched in front of her husband's captain: "Here. Let me see." She gently put her finger on his side. Jean-Luc tried to hide his wince but she noticed.

"I am afraid, the wound is too big to leave it open. My medkit was lost, but I do have some needle and thread."

"Thread? You're going to put in stiches?" He could not keep the incredulity out of his voice.

She flashed him a smile as she opened a small zipper on the liner of her jacket. "It's old fashioned. It'll hurt, but it will work for now. It'll leave a scar of course, but once you 're back, go to Medical and they'll take it out."

Jean-Luc looked her over teasingly: "Last person I knew who always had needle and thread handy was my grandmother. You sure don't look like a grandmother."

Beverly looked around searching for something and absently answered: "Well I was raised by my grandmother so that must be it then. Where's your bag? I need that bottle of scotch you were passing around last night."

A look of terror appeared on Jean-Luc's face: "You're not going to use it for that are you?"

"It's that or a possible infection. No communicators remember? You boys wanted to have it as real as possible. We are a few days away from civilization here - long enough for this wound to infect if not cleaned properly."

Jean-Luc nodded towards one bag but insisted on a long swig before she used it. He stayed silent as he watched her carefully stich him up. As her fingers gently touched his side, he closed his eyes hoping the others would believe it was the pain affecting him. It was better than the truth that he was taking too much enjoyment out her touching him.

Once she was done she leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. He looked up startled.

"What was that for?"

"For saving Jack's life out there."

Their eyes met: "I always look out for him Beverly. You know that."

He never went to Medical. Ten days after they came back from their canoe trip, his injury healed, he pulled the stiches out himself. Once finished, he allowed his fingers to gently touch the scar.

The Enterprise - 2370

Jean-Luc and Nella were enjoying a horseback ride when a crack of thunder spooked his horse and Jean-Luc fell awkwardly on the ground. A pain shot through his side and he immediately knew he had broken something. Within moments, Nella was at his side.

"I wish you would not insist on having the holodeck safety settings so low. This would never happen otherwise."

Jean-Luc tried to explain that having the safety settings so high that no danger came to him, just made the holodeck experience that much too artificial to be enjoyable, but somehow he figured Nella would not understand. He slowly got up with Nella's help, and after calling off the holodeck program made his way to the door.

"No worries. I'll go to sickbay and get it looked after."

"I'll come with you."

"You don't have to. I can easily walk over there by myself." Jean-Luc insisted, trying to hide his apprehension at having Nella accompany him to sickbay.

"Nonsense Jean-Luc. Of course I"ll go."

Jean-Luc breath out a long sigh: "Right".

Soon, too soon, they were in sickbay and of course, Beverly was on duty. She had not noticed him yet so Jean-Luc walked over to one of the nurses who promptly put him in one of the private treatment room. He took one quick look at the captain's injury before excusing himself.

"I'll get Dr. Crusher Captain."

Before Jean-Luc could stop him, the nurse was out the door. Moments later Beverly walked in with her head down looking at her tricorder while saying: "Hurt yourself on the holodeck again I hear Jean-Luc. How many times have I….." she stopped mid-sentence having just noticed Nella. Within seconds the friendly smile was gone from her face, replaced by her professional doctor look, her voice immediately cooling.

"I understand you injured yourself on the holodeck Captain."

He stumbled: "Uhmm. Yes. I fell off my horse." Avoiding her eyes as he answered.

Beverly put her tricorder down. "Let's have a closer look shall we." She started to help him out of his jacket. The doctor had not got very far before Nella jumped in. "I can help with that Doctor."

A bit started, Beverly backed up a step and before she knew it, Nella was helping Jean-Luc out of his jacket and shirt. Flustered, she busied herself getting her equipment ready not wanting to witness the intimacy between Jean-Luc and Nella. By the time she looked up Jean-Luc was sitting bare chested on the treatment table and Nella was right there close to him. Beverly took the knitter and slowly mended his rib.

While she worked Nella spoke: "You should have that scar taken out while you're here Jean-Luc."

Beverly looked at the old scar from that camping trip all those years ago. He had never had it smoothed out. She had noticed it on their first year on the Enterprise when she had given him his yearly medical. Back then she had lightly touched it, surprised at seeing it there.

"From that camping trip? She'd asked

"Yes." He had answered with a warm smile.

"You never had it taken out?"

He had shrugged: "Never got around to it."

Beverly had not quite believed him back then, but had chosen not to press him for an answer, preferring to put her own interpretation on the fact.

Her attention was brought back to the present as Nella spoke again, turning to face Beverly.

"Taking it out should only take a few moments correct Doctor?"

Forced to answer, Beverly replied quietly: "Yes. Seconds really." She turned to Jean-Luc: "I'll get the equipment then shall I Captain?"

Jean-Luc was silent for a few seconds before lifting his head and looked at Beverly straight into her eyes.

"No need to bother you with that Doctor. I've had the scar for years. It's never bothered me really, so it's fine. It'd be a waste of your time really"

"But Jean-Luc there's no need to keep scars nowadays. Why keep it?" insisted Nella.

Beverly, ready, asked again: "Captain?"

Jean-Luc took a few moments to slowly put his shirt back on before turning to Nella: "It's fine Nella. It's been there for years. It can stay. "

He paused, then smiled at her. "Why don't I meet you in Ten Forward for dinner in in an hour? I'll be right along."

Nella seeing Jean-Luc would not budge gave in gracefully: "Of course. I'll see you then." Knowing how much Jean-Luc disliked public signs of affections, she limited herself to a warm smile and a squeeze of his hand. She then turned to Beverly: "Thank you Doctor."

Once Nella was out of hearing, Beverly, avoiding direct eye contact with Jean-Luc, could not stop herself from asking: "Tell me Jean-Luc, why is it still there?"

"Truthfully Beverly?" he asked.

Beverly turned to him: "Yes Jean-Luc. Truthfully."

He finished putting on his shirt before answering: "Because you were the one who sewed me up all those years ago."

Taking advantage of the surprise his answer elicited in Beverly, he walked out the door before she could say anything.

There was a small smile on Beverly's face as she watched him walk out of sickbay.


End file.
